Ruffin' It
Explorer
So I have a truely bad *** FZJ80 straight from my dreams; 4" lift sitting on 35's, Winch, ARB bar, sliders, lockers, longfields, etc... The thing is that I don't drive it, hardly ever. It gets 15 MPG and the conservationist in me has real trouble choosing it over my girlfriend's 40 MPG hybrid for 99% of our driving. Moreover, I bought it with grand intentions of amazing trips to far off places ... which just don't seem to be materializing. Lack of money and time seems to be the biggest issues and look like they will be for the next few years. This leads me to wonder what I am doing with this great rig that I drive maybe 200 miles a month and have only had off-road twice in the 6 months I've owned it. Even worse, it's limits are so high, that I can't find them. It just walks up and over anything I can find. There is no challenge whatsoever. So why don't I sell it and buy something that makes more sense for the reality of my life rather than the fantasy and buy my dream 70 series in a few years when I can, hopefully, actually take big trips? Mind you, I doubt I will. I love just having the thing around, but I probably should. I was thinking either a Honda Element or a Subaru Outback would allow the sort of trips I actually seem to take and are frugal enough on gas that I would be able to take more of them. Throw a 2" lift under either with some AT's and a small roof top tent on top and go. I'd love something that gets at least mid 20's on MPG, could fit her and I and the two 80 lbs dogs comfortably with enough AWD cred to actually get down some decent trails. Sure, the Rubicon is out of the picture, but I never really had any desire for that stuff anyway. If I could get through trails rated 5-6 (I was doing 8's in my stock Disco), I would be happy.
So, hit me with your thoughts, teasing, outright name calling...
So, hit me with your thoughts, teasing, outright name calling...